<p>I got accepted into Exeter (only school I applied to) as part of the class of '17! I don’t think my essays were that great…they were kind of rushed. If you’re an athlete, you might be interested in reading my second essay. This is my first one:</p>
<p>Prompt: “Write on a topic or activity about which you are passionate.”</p>
<pre><code>Along with Benjamin Franklin, I believe that “An investment in learning pays the best interest.” I have a passion for constantly learning, which is fueled by my endless curiosity. Ever since I was in preschool I have been asking questions about my surroundings. When I was 9 years old, it was common for me to declare, “Shh! I’m thinking!” in the car, ordering silence so that I could concentrate on pondering the mysteries of life, such as the human existence. And now, my lust for learning continues, making myself more knowledgeable with every passing day.
At school, you can always find me in the library during lunch. I love reading books and browsing the web, whether I’m reading about World War II or a wacky new invention from Japan. Years of reading hundreds of articles, ranging from serious to leisurely topics, have built quite an extensive library of knowledge in my brain. However, I find it cool how there is still SO much that I don’t know about the world. This causes me to ask many questions, which I habitually write on my hands as a reminder to look up the answer when I get near a computer. I can spend an hour researching a question I have, often traveling to the 10th or 15th pages of Google results (which can be a very scary place at times) and analyzing the various answers that I come across. People are my favorite sources of learning - my ideal conversation is a friendly debate, where I can teach someone about my perspective on an issue while I learn more about theirs. It is rare that I let a question go unanswered. I hope that the time I invest in learning will indeed pay high interest, helping me achieve my ambition of becoming a world leader that will make the world a better place to live in.
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<p>And my second one (One of my hooks was that I was a championship swimmer):</p>
<p>Prompt: “Describe a moment when you felt challenged, successful, or
overwhelmed, and how you handled it.”</p>
<pre><code>I have been training so hard for 8 years, and it all boils down to this moment. My heart is pumping and I can feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. There is noise all around me, but I am completely focused on what I’m supposed to do. The pressure I feel from my coach, my teammates, and myself is immense, but there is no way that I’m going to let this opportunity pass me by. The competition is equally strong and fierce, so it comes down to a battle of who is the mentally toughest. The official calls the swimmers to the blocks, and we get ready to race. Before I know it, I hear that familiar beep and my instincts kick in, propelling me off the blocks and into the cool water. The cold temperature shocks my body and I take off. I swim one lap, then two, three, then four. I can tell that I’m pulling ahead from the rest of the swimmers. My muscles are aching and my legs feel like they’re going to fall off. For a fleeting second, I want to stop, but then I remember the dedication I have to the sport. I remember the years of going to every practice, giving every lap 100%, and not eating that cupcake. I tell myself that I have to push through the pain, not to impress my coach or to make my parents proud, but because I want to win. I push off the last wall, and I know what I have to do. My legs explode, my arms are flying, and my lungs ache as I lunge toward the finish. I look to the clock. There is a moment of hesitation as I struggle to find my time, then I pump my fists as I find a number 1 next to my name. My years of training have paid off, and I am now officially the #1 swimmer in the New York Metropolitan area. Emotions flood mind, and I am unable to speak a coherent sentence. I can barely climb out of the pool so that my coach can give me a high five, and then tell me to get ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow I will be back in the pool, swimming endless laps, training hard for my next victory.
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